5 Ways to Make Birthdays at Christmas Time Special

I’m currently awaiting the arrival of a baby due this week on December 22. The parents are planning a home birth in Nimbin, Northern NSW and it is my privilege to support them as Doula.

Now we all know it could be on Christmas Day or New Year, or any other public holiday so we are stacking up with baby goods and mama needs so we don’t get caught out. Especially Breast Pads and Nipple Balm for mama! It making me think of all the Christmas babies out there, do you have a child with a birthday around Christmas Time? What are your top tips for Christmas & New Year Birthdays being special?

Here are the some of the Tips people have shared with me this week

1- Plan Ahead: If you are giving birth at this time of year, be well stocked with medicine or creams that you won’t be able to grab at the last minute. I gave birth to my son in November but it was close enough to still get Mastitis on Christmas Day! Lucky I knew the signs and could call the hospital and was able to avoid antibiotics which are essential if you don’t get on top of it quickly.

2 – Don’t double up on Gifts, or at least check in with the receiver if you are tempted. The most common complaint was, here is a combined Christmas and birthday gift! This might work when they are teenagers or adults wanting cash for some but it seems this did not work for most people I spoke to. “Someone always does it” Abbey told me. She hated it but Dave said he loved it, he just got bigger, more expensive things than his sibling.

4 – Parties: This can be tricky if people really want a party on their actual birthday! Adults love it and say its easier if you don’t have kids but kids love parties so be sure to plan one out of school holiday time. People who had this experience had mixed reactions. Some told me it never felt as special but others loved the extra gifts and celebrations! Be sure to have a family party and invite friends if possible on Christmas Day. If you are not a religious Christian, this is easier to do.

5 – Make December 25 extra special and enjoy the lengthy celebrations. My sister in law has a birthday on Christmas Day. The family has always celebrated her birthday first thing in the morning before there is any mention of Christmas gifts. They have cake for breakfast and make a grand fuss. She loves the extra attention and extra gifts on Christmas day and says she loves it. The week before she would have a party so she has always felt like her birthday goes longer than most peoples. She loves it

We would love to know what you do or how you feel about your Christmas birthday? It would be a great help to others reading this. What is your best tip?

Facts on Plastic Pollution

Where did all this Plastic Pollution come from? Let’s Get Plastic Free Baby

“The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry. However, rapid growth in global plastic production was not realized until the 1950s. Over the next 65 years, annual production of plastics increased nearly 200-fold to 381 million tonnes in 2015. For context, this is roughly equivalent to the mass of two-thirds of the world population.1″

While you are there, we encourage you to think about just one action you can take this week to reduce plastic in your life. We are great believers in the idea that it takes small actions by thousands of us to make a big difference.

Nature’s Child Organic Baby Store has made a commitment to remove Plastic Pollution by removing plastic products from our store. Our Mission is to make it easy for new parents to choose reusable baby products over plastic, disposable baby products. Read More about going plastic free for your baby here

If you want to change but not sure where to begin, just start by replacing one of these 5 baby products with a plastic free reusable baby product. If you are still pregnant and making decisions about what products to use for your new baby, then now is the time to research and prepare for the best eco start possible for your family and committed to a plastic free family life. Using Cloth Baby Products is easy, safe and fun, not to mention saves you a bundle of cash. It is easier than you think!

Reusable baby products saves a load of rubbish but also saves you a load of money! An Organic Cloth Nappy Set up for a new baby including all the nappies, nappy wipes, breast pads for a new mother and face wipes for dribbles all comes in under $1000. If you buy these items in disposable form on a weekly basis, they cost minimum $5000 per child.

Do you have a plastic free baby? Let us know all about it! Share and encourage other parents. Visit our Facebook Page and comment!

Vanuatu is the first country in the world to ban the sale and use of disposable nappies from DEC 2020 because of plastic pollution in their country. Importantly, the government is sending an important message to all governments in the world.

Vanuatu is safeguarding it’s future. Eventually, plastics find their way into the water and the food chain. At the end of the day, the people of Vanuatu end up consuming them. It is a long road ahead. But knowing my country, we will work it out”

Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu announced the ban at a conference in Port Vila this week. He announced that plastic cutlery, polystyrene cups, plastic drink stirrers and types of food packaging would also be outlawed. He said research showed disposable nappies were the largest single item of household waste in the capital.

Congratulations to the Vanuatu government for taking the most positive and massive action on nappy waste. Because of their initiative, other governments are now watching to see the how this goes.

Inspiration for Compostable Disposable Nappies

One of the inspirations for this ban on disposable nappies was G Diapers Founders Kim and Jason. The couple often talk about how After their son was born, they became aware of a small company in Tasmania that was making flushable and compostable diaper inserts. What few people know is that it was our very own founder, Jannine Barron that was a key link in their discovery.

Kim and Jason visited a Nature’s Child Display at a baby expo in Sydney early in 2000’s. They spoke to owner Jannine Barron about the nappies Jannine was passionately demonstrating as a massive environmental solution. Importantly, they had a lightbulb moment!

In the next few months, Kim and Jason visited Byron Bay to meet with owner Jannine Barron to pick her brains as a Ethical Company Leader and cloth nappy expert. They knew they were on to something and the rest is history with the Tasmanian Company Jannine connected them with. We are so proud of Jannine and love that nature’s child has always been a pioneer in environmental consciousness. She was even an inspiration for this important moment for Kim and Jason. We are super proud of all the work and the company that Kim and Jason have gone on to create with G Diapers and absolutely love their latest work on circular economies. A topic that is close to our heart!

Climate Change and Organic Baby Products

When I founded Nature’s Child 20 yrs ago, the science was already clear. Business needs to operate in a way that regenerated our environment and society. These are the values that Nature’s Child was built upon back in 2000. Importantly with organic farming, fair trade and conservation through commerce.

At first our goals were to be biodegradable because at that time, this was our level of environmental awards. We still allowed some disposable items like nappy bags and nappy liners in our range then. By 2010, the Waste Issue was the new crisis so we had to adapt.

That has all changed as climate science has become clearer and we stopped making disposable baby products altogether.

Why Zero Waste?

ZERO WASTE is the only option for our kids future. We have removed all disposable baby products from our range.

In 2019, we discarded our final disposable product and became a completely reusable baby brand. The result is a baby range with every item you need in the first weeks ,months and year for caring for you and your baby. Breast Pads, Nappies, Nappy Wipes, Face Wipes, Basic Skincare.

The problem with a lot of zero waste we see in shops now is that they are not organic so there is still waste from chemical use but this is hidden behind the products. We have to see beyond packaging and into the ingredients and behind that, we have to see the farming” says Jannine Barron, creator of Nature’s Child.

Our Unique Proposition

✶ We don’t know many baby companies ticking all these boxes and we are offering this full range to your store – do you?

5 disposable Products You can Replace Now

If you need some inspiration to change, this is a short post that is full of inspiration that we wrote last year. Pop on over to find out about 5 Products You can replace easily

Have a read of this brilliant article which explains how humanity and nature are not different. I reckon it sums things up pretty well and certainly supports the thinking of the creators and shakers behind the Nature’s Child Story.

Start Using Cloth Nappies at any age

Whether your baby is 6 months, 18 months, 24 months or just 4 weeks, there are no rules about when you can start using cloth nappies. Just Starting is half the fun! You can use Cloth Nappies at any age. Below we give you tips for each age!

If this is your first time reading about Cloth Nappies, we recommend you read our Ultimate Guide to Cloth Nappies which is a long but very comprehensive article with excellent research that is one of the most read articles on the internet on this topic.

This short article below is also worth a read and helpful for any parent, beginner or experienced that needs some support or inspiration.

If you had good intentions to use cloth nappies but have not started yet, it’s not too late.

Remember the reason WHY you even considered it.

Without this WHY, it’s hard to start at all!

Was your reason cost or environment?

Today we help you get back in touch with your Inner Eco and get your Cloth nappy Mojo On!

Here are five good ages to start cloth nappies and the reasons why.

Newborn Baby: It’s a great feeling being 100% cloth and never having to use disposables but not everyone is perfect. Starting at Newborn gets you in a great habit from day one. But there is a lot to get your head around with a newborn so nappies can feel like an extra for some. For me personally, it was half the fun! I loved it! But we are all different so if you getting overwhelmed. Pop them in the draw for another week until you feel ready.

6 weeks Old Baby: This is a natural time when parents are taking their first breath and thinking okay, we can do this baby parenting thing! If you purchased newborn nappies or size specific under 3 months, there is still plenty of time to get them out and enjoy them. If you purchased newborn nappies, they may not fit already depending on how much growing that beautiful baby has been doing.

3 – 6mths old baby: Did you purchase one size fits all like these gorgeous baby behinds or Nature’s Child Flats? Then you will absolutely love this age for using your cloth nappies. Your baby’s body has filled out and all nappies are starting to look snug and hold in all they are supposed to. If you have been using these nappies since birth, then you have been very patient. You may also be amazed at how quickly you can get a snug fit. You may also find that the nappy cover needs updating which is why we offer 4 sizes here. The medium size will tend to fit beautifully from 6 – 18mths and sometimes beyond but the small size is gold if you re starting at 6- 12 weeks. You can compromise on a nappy being a little big but not with a nappy cover. They must be snug and the correct size to serve their purpose well. If you are finding the nappy cover is not quite doing it’s job overnight, then this is a sign that you need to move to a wool cover. This is an easy time think you may need disposables at night time but you don’t with the right equipment. Use a Night Nappy as pictured above and a Wool Cover and it’s a perfect solution.

12 months plus: If you made it this far and still have not tackled cloth nappies, the cost and the stinking bins will be a big motivating factor right now to start. We suggest investing in a good value packs found in our bulk buy section. The extra savings are excellent with free nappies and free products to keep you well stocked. If you are not sure yet, then purchase a TRIAL PACK on the BULK BUY PAGE to try the nappies first.

2yrs plus: This age is preferred if parents are seeing no sign of toilet training yet! Most babies should be showing interest in the toilet by now. If they are too comfortable in their training nappies and absorbent disposable comfort, this is a good time to get them a little uncomfortable and highly motivated to change. This is true as much for you as the parent, not just your toddler. We suggest the Night Nappies for day and night to ensure good absorbency.

Change is rarely easy when you have a routine so the most important advice is to be patient for a few days. You will get the hang of cloth nappies much quicker than you may think on your first try. Leaks happen in disposable nappies as well so keep practicing. Try different brands until you fall in love. If you are not happy with any brands we offer, we encourage you to explore reputable Australian Mother run companies. You can find a list of them on the Australian Nappy Association Page.

UNIQUE GIFT IDEAS that say I LOVE my planet as much as my kids 🎄🌏

It’s a Plastic Free Toy Zone!

Perfect for Summer Holidays as well!

We are in Love with the brand Hevea from Denmark and thrilled to be one of the few stockists of this unique range in Australia. Setting a new standard in eco friendly gifts, Hevea fun and toys are a highlight of our Christmas gifts this year because our ethical loving parents demand the best. Give one of these totally unique gifts for someone you love at Christmas and birthday gifts 0 – 7rs all year. Maud n Lil have been a favourite at Nature’s Child for 20 yrs alongside Australian Company Merrigold Wooden Kids Toys.

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Our Usual Advice Applies to this Christmas and to Birthdays all year round. Keep the gifts small and the love & experiences large. Put a smile on your baby or child’s face with one precious gift instead of too many small ones that get lost and not remembered.

Let’s say a one-size-fits-most reusable swim nappy (like seedling Paddle Pants) sets you back $25 and you go swimming with your bub once a week at the local swim centre, all year round. That’s 48 cents for each wear during the first 12 months.

Add to that the extra 18 months of weekly lessons you’ll get out of this swim nappy and the cost per wear comes down to 19 cents. Now that makes baby swim more affordable!

Add to that all the other times you go swimming with bub throughout the summer months and your cost per wear drops even further when you use reusable baby swimmers.

On the other hand, a disposable swim nappy will set you back around 1.37 every time. Over two and half years of weekly lessons, that’s $178. (Average price of premium brand disposable swim nappies across 3 sizes)

The difference between $25 and $178 is a delightful $153.

It is also the satisfaction of knowing you’ve saved over 130 single use products heading to landfill over the first two and half years of your child’s life.

This is great for your wallet, great for your baby and great for our environment 🌿🌏🌈

CUSTOMER REVIEWS FOR THE PADDLE PANTS REUSABLE SWIM NAPPY

Very impressed with the Paddle Pants. My daughter has worn it now for over 6 months. It is so fantastic that the nappy can be adjusted to fit her quickly growing body. The quality is fantastic and looks just as good now as it did brand new.

– Hayley, Newcastle

I used the swim nappy (Paddle Pants) for the first time yesterday. My boy’s allergies have been playing up big time, so nappies have been a shocker, to the point I almost considered disposables! I had no idea he had a major poo until I took the swim nappy off. It wasn’t even on the gussets!

– Shelley, Nowra

Mr 23 months is just off to the pool to show off his Paddle Pants again. Love, love, love them!

Here are our 5 Top Tips for a Safe Summer. Get your Baby Swim and Sunscreen in Summer

Baby Swimming is part of our culture in Australia. We have the weather, environment and the pools to make it easy and fun. Being aware of basic swim safety precautions that will help you minimise the safety risks for your baby. Baby Swim and Baby Sunscreen in Summer.

1 – Talk to your children about swim safety. Babies know and understand more than we realise so this simple awareness from talking about the ocean and the pool to normalise safe behaviour is one of the best things a parent or carer can do.

2 – FUN: While we all want our kids to be safe, the main reason to spend time in the water is to have fun and cool off! So be sure to talk about safety and act safe with all sensible precautions but have fun! A qualified swim teacher teaches babies to swim with games to ensure fun and safety always go together

3 – CONFIDENCE: We are not all meant to be olympic swimmers. Gaining confidence in being buoyant and keeping heads above water is the first step while enjoying themselves.

4- SWIMMERS: All pools require a baby to wear a swim nappy. Reusable swim nappies are environmentally sustainable, simple to use and economically sound. Avoid disposables completely if possible by being organised in advance with a good pair of cute swimmers that you enjoy dressing your baby in. Again, it’s about fun and good design. Grab a wet bag as well as swimmers to ensure wet items are separated in your nappy bag.

5 – SKIN SAFETY: The Aussie sun can be harsh but so can standard sunscreens. What is safer? Getting burnt in the sun or placing chemical based sunscreens on our skin? Luckily we don’t have to choose. Safe Baby Sunscreens that are just as good for the whole family, not just babies! Made by Australian Companies are easily available here.

If you are looking for a Baby Swim Teacher in Australia. Try your local swimming pool or this useful website for qualified teachers.

Zkin Organic & Natural Skincare has arrived at Nature’s Child this Spring along with New Organic Tea brands for pregnancy, new mums and all sensitive skin types.

Zkin Organics Calming Cream Cleanser A non-lathering, alcohol-free gentle cleansing cream designed especially to leave the most sensitive or eczema prone skin feeling nourished and soothed. This calming cleanser embraces unique “oil-to-milk” technology where oils are transformed to “milk” upon contact with water leaving skin feeling refreshed and silky.

Zkin Organics Relief Moisturiser Designed by a mother with pregnancy and motherhood in mind. This is a time in our lives when organic is more important than ever. The sensitive formula is ideal for anyone experiencing chronically dry and itchy skin at any stage in life when our hormones are playing up.

Zkin Organics Soothing Hand Cream The perfect rescue product with its clinically proven key ingredients to help repair the skin’s barrier layer and lock in moisture, relief the itch and provide a protective shield.